Sheep To Be Slaughtered

Romans 8:36:
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
How do you regard sheep to be slaughtered?

Dave Dorr:

If you were ever to go to a meat processing plant, you would see live animals being led to the slaughter house and you couldn’t help but cringe.  And that is how Paul says he is regarded by others.

People saw his tribulations and they thought, “Surely this man must be stricken by God.  Nobody would suffer like that if God really loved them.”

But that is Paul’s argument; although great tribulation has befallen him and his companions, it is not proof that they are separated from the love of God.  On the contrary, their suffering serves them in their endeavor to spread the gospel.  Their suffering is how God positions them to do the work that God called them to do.

And Paul is in good company.  How did people regard Jesus?  They cringed.  “Surely he must be cursed by God.”  “Nobody is highly regarded by God if he is hanged on a tree (cross).”  But unlike Paul, Jesus really was stricken by God.  The love of God really did abandon him on the cross.

But Jesus’ suffering positioned him to pour the love of God out on undeserving sinners.  He lost the love of God so that we could gain it.

So if you ever think that people look at your life lived for Jesus and cringe, then you are in very good company.

Read the rest.